Translated by Michel Aronssohn.

Rituals are part of the life and are taking place in most life circumstances..

Rites have always structured, even nowadays in a significant way the human dimension and the transmission of the messages from a group. They mark the continuity between generations.

Since I live frequently in a Cambodian family, I measure how the Khmer people is living according to ancestral rites still present and in use today.

I have already written about the marriage (click here).

It seems interesting to know the rituals concerning the birth in a Khmer village not far from Oudong, North of Pnom Penh dealt at the end of this document.

           Generalities :

          The Khmer family in the sense of parenthood is not culturally well defined compared to other societies. The terms of ancestry  and descent are narrow and include essentially the primary elements as grandfather, sister in law, brother in law, in French. So it is not surprising that the family is mainly nuclear, that is to say father, mother and unmarried children. If the residence is considered there are one house for each family in the village and the parenthood does not go beyond the fourth grade.

          However ancestors may be evoked, during ceremonies up to the seventh generation.

          Red Khmer period imposed a monosyllabic surname, the name and the title Meut (comrade).

          Presently the Cambodians are identified by a family surname, generally monosyllabic and a name which may be multi syllabic.

          For official acts and visiting cards the surname come first followed by the name.

          An adage says :  don’t trust nobody calling you by your name.

          Numerous beliefs and rites are found in most ceremonies all along Cambodian life.

          We’ll try to explain  the symbols ruling the ritual Khmer ceremonies.

Vital spirits or Proloeng :

         The Prooloeung are nineteen and inhabit the bodies.

They may, especially during sleeping time, escape by the body natural openings and wander about. If they leave for too much time their owner may get sick. It is wise to recall them using varied objects.

Whatever the means to recall them, the vital spirits are fixed by the “By Proloeng”, cooked rice ball shaped.

Bonds or cotton threads :

          The “Tchang Dai” rite is tying to the subject wrist threads of  raw cotton. Blessing words and wishes are pronounced when tying the threads.

When tying the threads it is possible to create a mystic bond.

           During an house inauguration cotton bangle are tied to owner’s wrist and threads are fastened around a pillar or on the small sanctuary to the protecting divinity keeping watch on the dwelling. It is also performed upon arrival of important persons.

Popils :

          They are used during numerous ceremonies in Cambodia as well as Siam. Popil is the exact copy of the Siamese “ven ven thien”.

          According to a Cambodian legend, a forest hermit, offered as a wedding gift to one of his pupils, a golden banian  leave and a candle made with diamond dust. The Popil, small metallic plate with a 10 cm handle commemorate this gift.

          Usage of the Popil : During feasts, for different life stages, especially during marriages, King coronation, pagoda or Buddhastatue consecration, the assistance let Popils turn.

          The assistance makes a circle round the object or the persons to honor. The Popil, with its lighted candle is passed from left hand to left hand for a precisely designed number of lathes.

Ten persons are forming the circle, five men, five women. They should be married and present a good morality.

The candles “Tien”.

            Tiens” have a great importance in Cambodian life.

No invocation may be allowed if, at least, one candle and three incense sticks are lighted.

            The main one is the “Tien Kol” or “lineage candle” representing the human life which is easily extinguished as a candle flame but transmitted from one candle to another one. It is used during most ceremonies marking Kmer life. It is placed into the “Bay Proloeng” during the teeth lacquer ceremony or during the hair clipping. During ordination it is place on the ecclesiastic outfit. For the marriage it is named  “Tien Pela” or  favourable moment candle”. For funeral rites the “Tien Kol” is shorter and is named “Tien Kal” or “Time Candle”. This latter word corresponds to the Kalpa Bouddhique.

Symbolism of the numbers :

           Nineteen is unanimously considered as representing vital spirits.

           Nine represents upper vital spirits, the main openings of the body, the eight directions in space and centre.

           Seven is the number of head openings and, consequently, takes place as representing a vital spirit. The Popil is turned seven times to gather a positive impulse from the seven weekly planets.

           Five is the most frequently used number for offerings. It corresponds to the four cardinal points and, in the centre, to the divinities reigning in space, to the past, present and future Buddhas.

Hair cut :

            It is considered that hair cut is warding off any possible misfortune. During funeral ceremonies parents hairs are shaved, at least the elder one. Formerly all the people must shave hairs for King’s cremation. This custom is nowadays limited to palace women.

           In case of illness, it is frequent to make a wow offering his hairs to a spirit, to a Neak ta or to a Buddha’s image.

           Upon ordination, hair clipping reminds that the future Buddha cut his hairs with a swordthrust when he left his princely life.

Teeth lacquering (custom extinguished since one century, except in Vietnam) :

           Formerly women with white teeth brought bad luck, since the custom to blacken the teeth with a lacquer mixture maintained shining with coconut oil.

           Traditionally women teeth lacquering occurred  at the end of her hidden period, end of her reclusion at parents dwellings, marking the beginning of puberty. It is also used for the wedding when not made before. For men teeth lacquering is made during the ceremony preceding ordination.

The Naga “Gnieuk” in Khmer language :

             Sovereign of earth and water in the Cambodian mythology, it is commemorated during ceremonies by the “Tail Sampot” dress.

During the ordination the future bonze wears also the Naga dress. It is said that a Naga,  having taking human shape, was admitted among Buddha’s followers. It was expelled since an animal cannot be a monk. However it was promised that he’ll be remembered during each ordination considered, hence, as Nagas’.

Officiants :

            Due to his knowledge and his teaching the bonze is giving the opportunity to laymen to progress toward salvation. However his religious action stops there.

So the Officiant role is never performed by a bonze. The rites performer is a go-between among men and gods, he is named Achar.

Achar’s role :

Point out the ritual gestures.

 Performs the ceremonies and accomplish the rituals (bonze keep apart).

Serve as intermediate between the people and the numerous nature and spirit divinities (non Buddhist).

Foretell and read horoscopes.

 Determines the  offerings.

As he knows the rites the Achar is able to determine lucky or unlucky periods and the necessary offerings.

Name exchange :

            Formerly, however, nowadays rather frequently, it was not possible to attribute a name before birth and it is quite frequent to change the name of a ill child. This change is intended to ward off misfortune.

            During his prime infancy the baby is a frail and vulnerable being, which must be protected against “bad spirits” . To deceive them  a hideous name evoking repugnant realities is given to the infant. For instance, Mekhum’s wife, a classy woman, model Cambodian mother was known under the name of “tshirout”, meaning pig.

            There are many other examples such as excrements, and so on. This phenomenon is known over all the Indochinese peninsula. It is found in Vietnam, Laos and in proto-indochinese people, especially the Jaraïs.

            This practice may be also recalled to the naming of a boy “Srei”, meaning girl, and girls “Proh”, meaning boy. All these names are not so frequent however there are examples and their existence shows the beliefs attached to names.

             It is also possible to exchange birth name later on, at any time. This occurs often after a serious illness. It is a rupture with the past. Diverse village dwellers have informed me about such cases.

Birth :

            Nowadays deliveries at home or in the hut are frequent for some reasons : especially financial and spiritual.

            Upon birth or upon coming back from the clinic, a ceremony occurs in the house. The house master who is not necessarily the father lights  five incense sticks kept in his clasped hands and yield successively toward the four cardinal points to salute the “Tevoda” (Tevoda and Teptida, masculine and feminine divinities). Then he meditates and mentally invokes all his ancestors, he gives notice of a birth in the family and beg protection and kindness toward the baby.

            I have watched this ceremony in my adoptive family (who adopted whom ! did this family adopt me or did I adopt this family ?) in Oudong’s surroundings. After performing the ritual, the House master let the mother lie down on a raised bed her head wrapped in a clothe.

He lights a fire under the couch, symbol of purification and protection against diseases.

He lays a stone on the mother’s belly to symbolize the return of her state before the pregnancy.

            Drink : five liters of palm wine with various fruits and herbs.

            Daily, before each meal the mother drinks a glass.

            I tasted, excellent, shame it is reserved to the mother only !

Then he kneads cooked rice and lay down a little bit of this dough on the baby’s fontanel in order to get a solid and fast sealing.

In the cradle, up baby’s head an axe or a pair of scissors… This ensure protection against “ill spirits”.

            During each baby’s toilet. The mother takes warm water in her mouth, removes the dough and gently spits the water on the fontanel. Then the dough is placed again.

            Certain babies are born with slightly blue spots on the back (some people are thinking that the baby has fallen or has been beaten,  the cause is known, even scientifically, I will not mention it here, let stay in rites and symbolism).

            The reply to my question was :”It is why the mother was lasy and dragging plates and pans without  lifting them up !

            These rites and symbols are showing how the Khmers are close by the nature, the life, the family. With these beliefs they perpetuate their cultures and traditions.

These moments shared with my Khmer family are extraordinary, magic and marvellous.

Everything on earth is symbol and dream. Ernest Renan.

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